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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheefl2. G. B. HAINES.

GAR STARTER Patented Nov. 9, 1886.

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N. PETERS, Hum-l-Mmnpher. Washinglon. D, C

UNITED STATES.

PATENT O FI E.

GEORGE E. HAINES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERT J. GUNNING 'OF SAME PLACE.

' CAR-STARTER.

$PECIE'ICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 352,12 6, dated November 9, 1886.

Application filed April 6, 1886.

T aZZ whom it may concern- Be it known that I, GEORGE B. HAINES, a

I citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Starters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to makea car starter that can be used with equal advantage and facility as the car is moved in one direction or the other; and my invention consists in the features and details of constrution hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the bottom of a car containing my improvements, with a double ratchetwheel on each axle; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the car; Fig. 3, a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the car, showing a single ratchetwheel on each axle; Fig. 4, an end view of the car, showing the slot for the draw-bar; Fig. 5, an enlarged perspective of the joint or connection between the draw-bar and the carstarter; Fig. 6, anend view of the brace, support, or guide for the car-starter back of its connection with the draw-bar; and Fig. 7 an enlarged view of a sliding weight for holding the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet when passing back to its normal position.

In the drawings, A is the bottom of the car; B, the sills or bottom frame-work O, the axles; D, theratchet-wheels on such axles; E, the pawl engaging with teeth of the ratchet; F, an endwise movable bar to which the pawls are pivoted, and to the end of which the draw-bar is attached; G, the draw-bar; H, astrap'or piece attached to the under side of the end sills of the car to form aslot through which thedrawbar passes, and in which it may have lateral play; J, braces attached to the axle boxes or axles, and passing around in front of the wheels for the purpose of supporting and guiding the bars F; K, a sliding weight; L, the joint connecting the draw bar G and the starter-bar F, and M a spring on the draw-bar.

In making a car with my improved starter, I take any car, street or railway, of ordinary construction, and place ratchet-wheels on its axle at any convenient point between the wheels. I prefer to use two of these ratchets on each axle, although this is not necessary.

' and the ratchet-teeth allowed to Serial No. 197,933. (No model.)

Where two ratchetwheels' are employed, I would recommend that they be cast on one hub and sufficiently close together to make this convenient. The diameter of the ratchetwheels should be as large as the position in which they are to be used will admit of, as the larger the ratchet-wheel the greater will be the leverage or pressure secured. The ratchetwheel should be rigidly attached by a setscrew, spline, or other convenient meansto the axle, so as to revolve with it.

After providing the axles with ratchetwheels, as above described, I arrange a starterbar in place, preferably just under the floor of the car. This starter-bar is preferably s] otted, pass up into or through the slot.

To hold the starterbar inplace, I attach straps or bars-to the axle-boxes or to the axle,

as may be found most convenient, and bring them around in frout'of the wheels and across the bottom of the car to a proper height to support and guide the starter-bar. These supporting-straps may be made in several pieces,

as shown in Fig. 1, or in one continuous piece properly bent to meet the requirements of that feature, and they should be provided with slots or openings, as shown in Fig. 6, to permit the starter-bars to pass through and be properly supported and guided.

One end of the starter-bar is attached to the.

draw-bar by means of a universal joint, preferably like that shown in Fig. 5, so that as it is raised .or lowered with the car-body, or moved toward one side or the other, it will freely move in the joint without disturbing the position, relations, or functions of the starterbar and its connections.

Where two ratchet-wheels are employed on the same axle, they should have their ratchets in reverse directions, and two starterbars should be employed with their opposite ends connected with the draw-bars, so that the car can be started and drawn in either direction 7 with equal facility. This construction is clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Attached to the starter-bars are pawls adapt? ed to engage with the teeth of the ratchet, each preferably provided with an end portion extending beyond its pivotal point. This end or piece extends under a vertically movable weightsuspended on a bolt from the bottom of the car or held in place by guides or other convenient means. As the bar is drawn toward this movable weight, the free end of the pawl will pass under it, and, owing tothe engagement of its pawl end with the teeth of the ratchet, will lift the movable weight as it passes under it; but the instant the tension is released the weight will be heavy enough to lift the pawl end out of engagement and permit it to be carried back to its normal position clear of the ratchet-teeth.

The draw-bar should be provided with a spring or other means to carry it back, and with it the starter-bar, to its normal position. This spring, as shown in the drawings, is made as a spiral spring surrounding the draw-bar, and one of its ends rests against the end sill of the car and the other against ashoulder or rest that is movable backward or forward with the movements of the draw-bar or starter-bars. The object of this spring being to throw or move the car-starter back to its normal position after its function is performed, so that it will be ready for another operation when required, it may be made and applied in any convenient way to accomplish this object.

In Fig. 3 Ihave shown a modification of my invention. As there represented, it consists in a single ratchet-wheel on the front and rear axles of the cars. The starter-bars only ex tend back enough beyond the ratchet to permit of its forward and backward play, and each starter-bar is separate from and independent of the other, and the two starter-bars have no connection with each other. The ratehet-wheels are reversed, so that one will be engaged with its appropriate pawl and operated upon when the car is drawn in one direction,

while the other will be engaged with its pawl and operated upon when the ear is drawn in the opposite direction. In this way thesame result is secured as where the ratchet-wheels are used in pairs, as above described, while a less number of parts are employed and the construction simplified. particularly applicable to lighter cars where its greater economy will be appreciated.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car-starter, a starter-bar adapted to have a vertical and an endwise movement independent of the movements of the car proper, in combination with means for supporting and guiding the same, substantially as described.

2. In a car-starter, the combination of a starter-bar and a draw-bar secured together by a universal joint in front of the car-axle,'

whereby the draw-bar may be moved freely up and down and sidewise, substantially as described.

3. In a car-starter, the combination of a starter-bar, guides for the starter-bar wherein the same moves, and braces or supports for such guides secured on the axles or axle-boxes, whereby the car-starter may be moved inde pendently of the body of the car, substantially as described.

.4. In a car-starter, the combination of a vertically-adjustable weight with the free end of a pivoted pawl, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a car, of a drawbar secured by a universal joint in front of the axle, permitting it to be moved vertically and laterally, substantially as described.

GEORGE B. HAINES.

\Vitnesses:

EPHRAIM BANNING, ROBERT J. GUNNING.

This construction is 

